Written Statements

Monday 24th June 2019 Written Statements

Monday 24 June 2019

ECOFIN

Monday 24th June 2019 Written Statements

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Philip Hammond)]

A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) was held in Luxembourg on 14 June 2019.

ECOFIN was preceded by a meeting of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Board of Governors:

Annual EIB Board of Governors meeting

The meeting included: statements from the Chairman, President and Chairman of the Audit Committee; a governors discussion; a presentation on the annual report of the Audit Committee; and a vote for partial renewal of the Audit Committee. The UK was represented by Mark Bowman (Director General, International Finance, HM Treasury) during the EIB meeting.

Following this, EU Finance Ministers discussed the following at ECOFIN:

Early morning session

The Eurogroup President briefed the Council on the outcomes of the 13 June meeting of the Eurogroup, and the European Commission provided an update on the current economic situation in the EU.

Banking union

The Council endorsed the progress report on the banking union.

Financial transaction tax

The Council received a progress update in relation to the enhanced co-operation on financial transaction tax.

G20 follow-up

The Romanian presidency and Commission presented the main outcomes of the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, which took place on 8 to 9 June in Fukuoka, Japan.

European semester

The Council discussed a horizontal note on the draft 2019 country specific recommendations, and progress towards the Europe 2020 targets.

Stability and growth pact

The Council adopted Council decisions and recommendations on the implementation of the stability and growth pact.

Clean planet

The Council held an exchange of views on a strategic long-term vision for a climate-neutral economy.

Non-performing loans

Under any other business, the Commission provided an update on the implementation of the action plan to tackle non-performing loans in Europe.

[HCWS1648]

EU Environment Council

Monday 24th June 2019 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dr Thérèse Coffey)]

The next EU Environment Council will take place on 26 June, in Luxembourg. I will be attending to represent the UK.

On environment items, the main legislative focus will be a general approach on the regulation on water-reuse. In addition, there will also be an exchange of views on the environment implementation review (EIR), as well as the adoption of Council conclusions on a sustainable EU chemicals policy.

Any other business (AOB) will include information from the Commission and the presidency on four items:

Clean Planet for all: Strategic long-term vision for a climate neutral economy (information from the presidency);

A discussion on current legislative proposals (information from the presidency):

A discussion on regulation on LIFE; and

A discussion on shipping monitoring, reporting and verification.

Reports on main recent international meetings (information from the presidency and the Commission):

Triple conference of the parties to the Basel (COP 14), Rotterdam (COP 9) and Stockholm (COP 9) conventions (Geneva, 29 April-10 May 2019); and

Fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) (Nairobi, 11-15 March 2019).

Communication on the draft integrated national energy and climate plans (presentation by the Commission).

There are currently five member state led AOBs:

Workshop on the “Future environment action programme” (information from the Austrian delegation);

Possible European measures to support clean mobility and in particular, electromobility (information from the Bulgarian delegation);

Conference on carbon pricing and aviation taxes (information from the Netherlands delegation);

G7 Environment Ministers’ meeting (information from the French delegation); and

Work programme of the incoming presidency (information from the Finnish delegation).

[HCWS1646]

High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Bill

Monday 24th June 2019 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I am today publishing the statement of reasons Command Paper for the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Bill. The Command Paper is titled the ‘‘Government overview of the case for HS2 Phase 2a and its environmental impacts’. This is required by parliamentary Standing Order 224A to assist the House during the Third Reading of the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Bill. This document summarises the work that has already been done to assess, control and mitigate the environmental impacts of HS2 Phase 2a, and explains why the Government continue to take the view that the HS2 Phase 2a project is worthy of their support.

Copies of the statement of reasons will be made available in the Libraries of both Houses.

Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www. parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-06-24/HCWS1647/.

[HCWS1647]